brig-gs



(-No Model.) I a Sheets-Shet 1". v J. M. BRIG-GS.

SAUSAGE MEAT CUTTER.

No. 423,899. Patented Mar. 25, 1890.

3 Sheets- -Sheet 2.

J. M. BRIGGS.

SAUSAGE MEAT GUTTER.

(N0 Mot iel.)

No. 423,899.. Patented Mar. 25, 1890.

N. PETERS. Pholo-Lflhagnpher, Wanhington, n c.

' I -3 Sheets-Sheet 3. J; M. BRIGGS. SAUSAGE MEAT GUTTBR.

(No Model.)

No. 423,899. Patented Mar. 25'. 1890.

Plmto'Lilhugrapher. Washington. 0. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH M. BRIGGS, OF EAII CLAIRE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TOALBERT F. SCHIVAHN, OF SAME PLACE.

SAUSAGE-MEAT CUTTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 423,899, dated March25, 1890.

Application filed March 9,1889- Serial No. 302,636. (No model-l) To allwhom it may concern: ble for the cutting operation. About mid- Be itknown that I, JOSEPH M. BRIGGS, of way of its height it has an annularrib or Eau Claire, in the county of Eau Claire, and in flange A, which,as the block revolves, passes the State of WVisconsin, have inventedcertain above the shoulders to a on the upright posts new and usefulImprovements in Sausageor standards B B, arranged in pairs on dia- 5Meat Cutters; and I do hereby declare that metrically-opposite sides ofthe block. Such the following is a full, clear, and exact depostsstanding close to the front and rear scription thereof, reference beinghad to the sides of the block would serve to guide and accompanyingdrawings, in which steady it if it should tend to work out of po- IOFigure 1 shows my sausage-meat cutter in sition in its rotation. This,however, with perspective; Fig. 2, an enlarged view of the the meanswhich I use for supporting it in its same in side elevation on anenlarged scale; rotation, it is not liable to do.

- Fig. 3, a detail View of the same in front ele- At four equidistantpoints below the lower vat-ion; Fig. i, a detail sectional view on lineend of the block near its outer edge are the [5 a: so of Fig. 3; Fig. 5,a similar view with the supports or standards C C, preferably ofcastsection on line y y of Fig. 3; Fig. 6, a transiron. Each one ofthese has, as shown, a ververse vertical sectional View of one of theadtical slot or way C, whose inner and outer justable supports for therollers, upon which sides are parallel to each other and in planes theblock is supported; and Fig. 7, a vertical at right angles to a radiusof the circular bot- 2o sectional view of such support, with the planetom of the block A. Held and guided in this of section at right anglesto that of the secway, so as to be capable of being moved vertition inFig. 6. cally up and down,but not to one side or the Letters of likename and kind refer to like other of the standard, is a slide,preferably parts in each of the figures. formed of the two uprightparallel plates C 2 5 The object of my invention is to provide an Cconnectedby the upper and lower distance 7 5 improved sausageqneatcutter; and to this pieces'or blocks 0 C the former at some disend myinvention consists in the machine tance from the upper ends of theplates while and in the construction, arrangement, and the latterissituatedat andbetween theirlower combination of the parts thereof, asherein ends. Both these plates and blocks ordistance 0 after specified.pieces I prefer to make of iron or other metal.

Itis intended by me to provide a machine J ournaled in the upper ends ofthe plates which can be driven by power or by hand, C C are the ends ofthe shaft C of a roller and which shall when operated automatically C,such shaft extending in the direction parturn the block upon which thematerial is allel to a radius of the block-bottom. Upon 35 being cut sothat the knives shall at each the four rollers thus supported in theslides stroke strike such material at a different in the four standardsor uprights C C rests an angle. annular bearing-plateA, fastened to orformed As shown, my machine isof the rockingupon the bottom of theblock. knife variety, and in it, as will appear from In order that therollers maybe adjusted to 0 the description hereinafter made, I employsupport the block-bottom precisely in a horithe weight of the knivesthemselves or knifezontal position or to raise or lower the block,carrying frame to actuate certain block-turneach of the roller-carryingslides is provided ing devices, so as to turn the block a certain withthe set-screws c 0, preferably two in numdistance as the knife-framereaches either end ber, tapped down through the lower block C 5 of itsrocking motion. and bearing against the bottom of the slot or 5 In thedrawings, A designates the block way C in the respective standard orsupport C. upon which the meat is to be cut, and which 011 the block A,around the outer edge of can be of any desired size or material. As itsbottom, there is a series of gear-teeth a a shown, it is in the shape ofan upright cylinadapted to mesh with the pinions DD at the 50 der, whoseupper end affords a horizontal tafront and back sides of the block,respectively.

These pinions are fixed upon horizontal shafts D D, journaled insuitable supporting-bearings D D While diametrically opposite each otherwith reference to the block-bottom, these shafts extend outward radiallywith reference to the block. Upon the outer end of each shaft is fixed aratchet-wheel E, the teeth of the two wheels being turned in oppositedirections, so that as turned by pawls engaging their teeth the wheelswill both cause their connected pinions to turn the block in the samedirection, as will be clearly understood from the drawings.

Pivoted upon each shaft 1'), between the ratchet-wheel thereon and theshaft-bearing, is a rocking frame or lever F, provided withtheratchet-engaging pawls ff, preferably two in number, though one ormore can be used, as desired, without departure from my invention. Eachlever is weighted so that it tends to turn or swing in a direction tocause the pawls to ride over the inclined sides of the ratchet-teeth.Pivotally connected with the lighter or unweighted end of the lever is arod G, which at its upper end is connected with a step 11, hinged to asuitable support close to the side of the block A and extending acrossat right angles to a diameter of the top of the block. The two hingedsteps are diametrically opposite to each other, with the axes of theirswing on their hinges at right an glcs to the same diameter of the blocktop. I prefer to make the upper sides of these steps slightly concaveand to set into them blocks or strips of hard wood, for a purpose whichwill be set forth more at length hereinafter. Each pawl -carrying leveror frame F is so weighted as to normally hold the respective step swungupward, as shown best in Fig. 2, and to return it to its elevatedposition when ithas been depressed. The con nection between each rod Gand the respective step is preferably such as shown in Figs. 2 and 3,consisting of an eye 9 on the rod ongaging an eye or loop 7r on thestep, so that the step and rod must always move together, while the rodis free to swing with reference to the step as its lower end moves withthe weighted pawl-carrying frame or lever. If desired, a spring can beused instead of a weight to return each pawl-frame and the rodconnectedstep to their normal positions.

The cutter which I use is, as indicated hereinbefore, of the rockingkind, adapted to rest and rock upon the top of block A. It consists ofthe parallel cutter-blades I, having their lower cutting-edges curved onthe arc of a circle in vertical planes, held together in a frame towhich is given, by means to be described, a rocking motion, so as torock the curved edges of the knives across the block. This frame can beof any desired construction and material, while I prefer to make it inthe shape shown, of cast-iron.

From a cross-bar 1, extending across above the knives in line with thecenters from which the knife-edges are curved, arms 1 one for eachcutter, extend downward to the middle points of the cutters and arethere attached to the latter by a bolt 1?, passing through the arm endsand the cutter-blades. Upon this bolt between the cutter-blades I placecollars or sleeves i i, forming distance-pieces to hold the blades apartupon the bolt. From opposite sides of the cross-bar 1 other arms Iextend'downward and outward and at their lower ends are attached to theouter ends of V the cutter-blades bybolts i 2 wl1icl1,like bolt 1', passthrough the arm ends and the blades, and between the blades are providedwith distance-pieces to hold the knives in place on the bolts. With thisconstruction theknives are held firmly upright and parallel to eachother with their curved edges in the same curved plane.

As shown in the drawings, the upper ends of the bars I I are attached toplates which are bolted to opposite sides of the cross-bar; but I do notlimit myself to such construction.

The cutter is so situated as,while resting on the block, to be capableof a rocking motion diametrically across the same in the direction ofthe two opposite steps H II. The knives are of such length that when thecutter is rocked to its limit toward either side of the block the endsof the knife-blades will rest upon the step at that side.- The weight ofthe cutter-frame will then, while the frame is so rocked, be brought tobear upon the step to force the same down. The downward movement of thestep caused by such weight will, through the connecting-rod G, swing thepawlcarrying lever F to cause the pawls to turn the respectiveratchet-wheel so as to rotate the block A a certain distance. The endsof the knives, where they are to bear upon the steps, are made flat andwithout cuttingcdgeswhich would cut or wear away the steps. The blocksor strips of hard wood, which, as indicated hereinbefore,l intend to setinto the upper surfaces of the steps, are to resist wearing away by anyfriction or blow of the knife ends.

To give the cutter its desired rockin movements, I provide a shaft K,journaled in a suitable frame or standard K. Upon opposite ends of thisshaft are the crank-wheel K for turning the shaft, and a larger wheel Kconnected with the cross-bar I of the cutter-frame bya pitman-rodconnection, so that at each rotation of the shaft the cutter-frame willbe rocked to the opposite limit of its motion to bring the cutters clearof the block and upon first one step and then the other.

In order to provide for adjustment of the swing or throw of the cutter,I do not connect the end of the pitman or connecting rod L directly withthe cross-bar I of the cutterframe, but with,a piece M, adj ustablyattached to the middle of such cross-bar, so as to be capable ofadjustment in the direction of a diameter of the circle upon which thecurve of the knife-edges is struek-that is, it is made ad jnstable atright angles to the cross-bar in ITO a plane equidistant from theopposite ends of the knife-blades. As shown, it consists of the twoparallel plates, each having a' vertical slot m to embrace the cross-barI. The bolt or pin M, upon which the end of the connectingrod L ispivoted, extends across between the upper ends of the plates. The lowerends of the plates are connected by a block M which holds them at acertain distance apart. Through such block or plate is tapped the screwM engaging with its upper end the cross-bar I. This screw serves toadjust the piece with reference to the bar, while setscrews m m, passingthrough the sides of the plates, engage the cross-bar, so as to fastenthe piece at any adjustment.

In order to provide for change of throw of the swinging pawl-carryingframe or lever, the rod is made in two parts, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3,with the upper part screwed into the lower. A shortening or lengtheningof this rod will cause the respective step connected wit-h its upper endto stand lower or higher when the pawl-frame or lever is in its normalposition, so that the on tter in pressing the step down to its bearingupon the tops of the uprights B B will move the step and consequentlythe pawl-frame a less or greater distance. I prefer to have the upperends of the standards B B so situated as to act as stops to engage thestep when it has been swung down into a horizontal position, but do notlimit myself to such construction, as stop pins or lugs on the frame canbe provided for the same purpose. With the rods G G made adjustable inlength the necessary raising of the shafts carrying the pinions D D andratchet-wheels EE as the block is raised by the adjustment of thesupportin g-wheels,as set forth hereinbefore, can be compensated for.

The operation of my machine is briefly as follows: With the cutterrocked by rotation of the driving-wheel K over into one of the positionsshown in dotted lines in Fig. 2 the top of the block A is left clear andthe meat to be cut is placed upon it. The shaft K and wheel K are thenturned by means of the crank-wheel K driven by power or by hand. As thecutter is by the connecting-rod rocked back and forth across the blockand into the positions shown in dotted lines in the figure just referredto, it makes a series of cuts entirely across the material on theblock-top, there being one cut for each knife as the cutter moves ineither direction. As the cutter rocks off of the block at the endof itsmovement in one direction, it bears down upon the step toward which ithas been rocking. While thus bearing the step down and causing thepawl-carrying frame to swing and turn. the ratchet-wheel E to rotate theblock a certain distance the cutter is rocked clear of the block-top, soas to leave the block free to be rotated. WVith the block thus turnedthe knives will obviously, as the cutter rocks back, out across thematerial on the block in a different direction with reference totlie'material:

than before. As the rocking of the cutter and the step-by-step turningof the block with the material thereon are kept up, the successive cutsmade by the series of knives will always change in direction across thematerial, and the result will be that the meat can be cut evenly andquite fine, the degree of fineness desired being easily secured with buta comparatively short use of the machine. As the weight of the cutter issupported by the block and the steps at difierent points of its motionand as its movement is an easy rocking one upon the circularly-curvedknifeedges, it is obvious that but very little power will be necessaryto give the cutter the motions desired. With the block turned by theweight of the cutter through the mechanism described I avoid allnecessity of any power or hand driven devices for rotating the block,such as have been used heretofore, with their necessary complications ofgearing and liability to get out of order. between the end ofconnecting-rod L and the cross-bar H of the cutter-frame provides for anadjustment to compensate for wear of the knife-blades or their reductionin height by successive sharpenings. this adjustment, the throw of therocking cutter would change as the cutter-blades were worn or sharpened.With the piece Mmade adjustable as the blades diminish in height thepoint of connection of the connectingrod with the cutter can becorrespondingly raised.

In order that the shafts D D, carrying the pinions D D andratchet-wheels E E, may be adjusted to correspond with the adjustment ofthe block A, so that the pinions shall always be properly in gear withthe teeth a a on the block-bottom, the shaft-bearings D D are to be madevertically adjustable, as by fastening them to adjustable supports. Oneform of such supports which can be used is shown in the drawings. Itconsists of a plate or bar D to which the respective j ournal box orbearing D is attached. Through such plate at its four corners pass theupright screws D D D D, one at each corner. Upon each of such screws,which at' their lower ends are fixed to or set in a base D are the twonuts D D, one above and one below the plate or bar D These nuts whenscrewed against the opposite faces of the plate or bar will clamp itbetween them, so as to hold it securely and firmly. The adjustment ofthe plate to any desired height can obviously be secured by turning thenuts to raise or lowerthem on their .respective screws. The adjustmentof the shafts can, as

indicated hereinbefore, be compensated for by adjustment of the lengthsof the rods or bars Gr, connecting the steps H H with the respectivepawl-carrying frames F F, so that the desired regular amount of feed orturning of the block can be secured.

four knives; but I do not limit myself to that If it were not-for Theadjustable connection 'IIO or any other number. More knives can be used;but the number should always be an even one.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. I11 combinationwith the rotary block or table and the rocking cutter thereon adapted tobe rocked across it, a movable piece at one side of the block upon whichthe cutter rocks at one end of its motion,and suitable gearing operatedby such piece connected with the rotary block, so as to turn the same.

2. In combination with the rotary block or table and the rocking cutterthereon, movable pieces at opposite sides of the block engaged by thecutter as it rocks off of the block at such sides at the ends of itsmotion,and suitable gearing for turning the block connected with suchpieces and with the rotary block, so as to turn the latter,substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. In combination with the rotary block or table and the rocking cutterthereon, the hinged steps at opposite sides of the block upon which thecutter rocks at opposite ends of its travel, pawl-and-ratchet devicesconnected with the hinged steps, and connectinggearing between suchdevices and the rotary block or table, substantially as and for thepurpose shown.

at. In combination with the rotary table or block and a movable step atone side thereof, a pawl-carrying lever connected with the step, so asto operate thereby, a ratchet-wheel, a pinion connected therewith, so asto be turned by it, gear-teeth carried by the block meshing with suchpinion, and the rocking cutter on the block, substantially as and forthe purpose set forth.

5. In combination with the rotary block and the rocking cutter thereon,the hinged steps at opposite sides of the block in the track of thecutter, the weighted levers connected with the respective steps andcarrying one or more pawls, a ratchet-wheel for each lever, a pinionconnected with each ratchet-wheel, and gear-teeth on the block meshingwith these pinions, substantially as and for the burpose described.

6. In combination with the rotary block, the means for rotating thesame, consisting of a pivoted step, a weighted lover, a connectingrodmade adjustable in length connecting the step therewith, one or morepawls on the lever, a ratchet-wheel, a pinion connected therewith, so asto be rotated by it, and gear-teeth on the block, substantially as andfor the purpose specified.

7. In combination with the rotary block, the means for rotating the samewith a step-bystep motion, which consists in a hinged step, a weightedlever, the rod connecting the step and lever made in two parts, with onepart screwed into the other, one or more pawls on the lever, aratchet-wheel and pinion connected together, and gear-teeth on theblock,

substantially as and for the purpose shown.

8. In a sausage-meat cutter, in combination with the rotary block, therollers supporting the same, so as to leave it free to rotate on avertical axis, and separate and independent means for adjusting theheight of each of the rollers, substantially and for the purpose setforth.

9. In a sausage-meat cutter, in combination with the rotary block, therollers for sup porting the same and allowing it to rotate, havingbearings made vertically adjustable, the hinged steps at opposite sidesof the blocks, the weighted levers, the connectingrods connecting thelevers with the respective steps made adjustable in length, one or morepawls on each lever, a ratchet-wheel for each lever, a pinion connectedwith each ratchet-wheel, so as to rotate therewith, and gear-teeth onthe block meshing with the pinions, substantially as and for the purposeset forth.

10. In combination with the rotary block of a sausage-cutting machineadjustably supported, one or more feed devices for rotating the block,each supported upon a plate or bar, screws for supporting such bar, andnuts 011 each of such screws above and below the bar, substantially asand for the purpose shown.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this2d day of February, A. D. 1889.

JOSEPH M. BRIGGS.

Witnesses:

GEORGE C. TEALL, J. ll. MUNnoE.

